Clutch mechanism.



PATENTBD AUG. 7, 1906.-

J. & F. DOEPKER.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLIoATIoN FILED PEB. 27, 1906.

nmow w @W y 4M-MW@ j 'UNITED srArEs PATENT QFFlGE.

JOSEPH DOEPKER AND FRANK DOEPKER, 0F @"rAWA, OHIO.

I CLUTCH MECHANISM. l

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Ang. 7, 1906.

Application filed February 27, 1906. Serial No. 303,164.

To all whom t may concerne Be it known that we, JOSEPH DOEPKER and FRANK DOEPKER, citizens of the United States, residing at Ottawa, in the county of Putnam and State of' Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clutch Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention pertains to vehicles, and

more particularly to the drive-shafts or axles` and wheels `of motor-vehicles; and it contemplates the provision of a simple, durable, and `reliable clutch mechanism for transmitting motion from a drive-shaft or axle to a wheel and for permitting the wheel to turn freely on the shaft or axle when it overruns the same, this in order to enable a vehicle to turn a corner with facility and without skidding. With the foregoing in mind the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when the same are read in connection with'the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a yiew, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a shaft or axle and a Wheel constructed. and equipped in accordance with our invention. Fig. y2 is-a View taken at right angles to Fig. 1 and illustrating the shaft or axle in transverse section and also illustrating the clutch mechanism, the closure-plate shown in Fig. 1 being removed. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the disk of the clutch mechanism removed, and Fig. 4is a similar view of one of the radially-movable shoes.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, re-

erring to which- A is the drive shaft or axle, which is peculiar in that it is provided at an intermediate point of its length with a cam B,preferably elliptical in form, and is also provided with arms C, which reach outwardly from the comparativelynarrow portion of the cam and ave lateral projections a adjacent to-their outer ends, and D is a .wheel which is retained on the outer portion of the shaft or axle by a nut E, as shown, or by any other means compatible with the purpose of our invention. The said wheel D may be of the artillery or any other approved type without affecting our invention.

F is the casing of our novel clutch mechanism, which comprises a rim b, fixed with respect to and extending inwardly from the preferablyat points equidistant between the guide-ribs with headed pins g. i The shoes H are provided in their inner edges with notches h, positioned to loosely receive the guideribs f, and are also provided with slots lc, designed to receive 'the pins g, whereby it will be seen that the shoes are free tomoveoutwardly and inwardly' at the side of the disk G, and yet are held against lateral movement with respect'to said disk. Said shoes H are further provided'with inner edges l, preferably shaped as shown, for they engagement of the cam B, and with flanges m, the louter edges of which` are convex and are presented to the pins a von the arms C for a purpose which will be presently'set forth.'r l

ln the preferred embodiment of our invention we prefer to roughen or scrrate the outer edgesof the lshoes Hand the inner surface of the rim l), this in order to enable the former to more positively engage ortake hold of the latter. We do not desire, however, to be understood as confining ourselves to such provision, as theouter edges of the shoes H and the inner surface of the rim b may be made smooth without involving departure from the scope of our invention.

In the practical use of our improvements it will be seen that when the shaft or axle A is rotated the cam B will engage the inner edges of the shoes H and by forcing said shoes out-'- wardly against the rim b will fix the Wheel D with respect to the shaft or axle so that-the two Will turn together-fi. e., the wheel will be turned by the shaft or axle. ever, the wheel overruns the shafty or axle, as is the case When the wheel is the outer wheel during the turning of a corner, it will be apparent that the wheel will tend to turn,

freel on the axle and in so doing Will carry the isk`G around with it, when the flanges m, moving against the pins a, will effect an inward movement of the shoes H and in that way render the wheel entirely free of the axle.

IIO

jected.

' tion Wit .derstanding of the said embodiment. We

It will also be apparent that when the shaft or axle overtakes the wheel, as it Were, which 1s the case when a vehicle resumes its straight course, the cam B, acting against the shoes H, w1ll fix the wheel with respect to the shaft or axle, so that the latter Will turn the former. I It will be readily gathered from the forego- 1I 1g that, while simple, compact, and inexpensive 1n construction, our novel clutch mechanism is reliable in o eration and is well adapted to withstand tfie usage to which the parts of motor-vehicles are ordinarily subyWe have entered into a detailed descriptlon of the lconstruction constituting the present and a view of im arting a definite undo not desire, however, to be understoody as confining ourselves to the said specific constructin'and relative arrangement of parts,

as such changes or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall Within the scope of our claimed invention. p

' Having described our mventlon, what we I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- 1. In a clutch mechanism, the-combination of a shaft or axle provided* with a cam fixedv thereon, a 'wheel loosely mounted on the shaft or axle and equipped with a rim, a shoe mounted between the cam and the rim and movable by the former against the latter,

and means on the shaft or axle arranged to.

co erate with means on the. shoe to positive y move the shoe in a direction away from the rim and toward the shaft or axle.

2. In aclutch mechanism, the combination of a shaft or axle having fixed thereto a cam and an arm, a Wheel loosely mounted on the shaft orl axle and equipped with a rim,

and a shoe mounted between the cam and the rim and movable by the former against the latter and having means for'thel enga ement of the arm on the shaft or axle where said arm is enabled to'positively move the-s oe in a direction 'away from the rim and toward the shaft or axle.-

3. In a clutch mechanism, the combination of a shaft or axle provided with a cam and an arm reaching from the cam and having a lateral projection, a wheel loosely mounted on the shaft or axle and equipped with a rim, and a shoe mounted between the cam and the rim and movable by the former against the latter and having a iiange proa vlded with a convex edge arranged to engage the lateral projection on the arm of the cam.

4. In a clutch mechanism, the combination of a shaft or axle provided withv a cam andan arm reaching from the cam and havlpreferred embodiment of our inven disk.

5. In a clutch mechanism,

' the combinaand arms reaching in op osite directions outward fromv the cam an having lateral rojections, a wheel loosely mounted onthe s aft `or axle, a casing fixed with respect to the wheel and inclosing the cam and the arms thereon and having a rim, a disk loosely mounted on the shaft or axle and having guide-ribs4 and headed pins, and ,radiall movable shoes arranged togetherwith t e vdisk in the casing and having notches and res ectively7 vi ed with convex edgesfor the engagement 'of the lateral projections on the arms of the cam. v r

In testimon whereof we have hereunto .set ourhands 11i-presence of two subscribing witnesses.

"JOSEPH DOE'PKER. l FRANK DOEPKER.' Witnesses: I I i J. E. SHANK,

B'. A. UNVERFERTH.

the guide-rib of the disk and a slot receiving the .headed pin of the' and having a guide-rib and a headed pin,

tion of a shaft or axle provided with a cam slots receiving the guide-ribs and lheaded pins, and also haifmg flanges pro'- 

